Ferrer ends Almagro's bid for third title

ACAPULCO, Mexico, Feb. 27 (UPI) -- Defending champion David Ferrer thwarted Nicolas Almagro's bid for three straight titles Saturday, overcoming him in three sets for the Mexican Open crown.

The top-seeded Ferrer outlasted Almagro 7-6 (7-4), 6-7 (2-7), 6-2, ending the Spaniard's bid to become the first player ever to win three straight Latin American titles.

Almagro took both the Costa do Sauipe and Buenos Aires events, notching 13 wins in a row before bowing out in the finals at Acapulco in a match that lasted 2 hours, 41 minutes.

Ferrer, meanwhile, collected his 11th career victory, raising his record in finals to 11-10.

He had posted come-from-behind wins in the preceding two rounds over No. 7 Juan Monaco and No. 6 Alexandr Dolgopolov.